The Right Honourable The Earl Granville KG PC FRS |
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Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |
In office 26 December 1851 – 27 February 1852 |
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Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Prime Minister | Lord John Russell |
Preceded by | The Viscount Palmerston |
Succeeded by | The Earl of Malmesbury |
In office 6 July 1870 – 21 February 1874 |
|
Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Prime Minister | William Ewart Gladstone |
Preceded by | The Earl of Clarendon |
Succeeded by | The Earl of Derby |
In office 28 April 1880 – 24 June 1885 |
|
Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Prime Minister | William Ewart Gladstone |
Preceded by | The Marquess of Salisbury |
Succeeded by | The Marquess of Salisbury |
Lord President of the Council | |
In office 28 December 1852 – 12 June 1854 |
|
Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Prime Minister | The Earl of Aberdeen |
Preceded by | The Earl of Lonsdale |
Succeeded by | Lord John Russell |
In office 8 February 1855 – 26 February 1858 |
|
Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Prime Minister | The Viscount Palmerston |
Preceded by | Lord John Russell |
Succeeded by | The Marquess of Salisbury |
In office 18 June 1859 – 6 July 1866 |
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Monarch | Queen Victoria |
Prime Minister |
The Viscount Palmerston The Earl Russell |
Preceded by | The Marquess of Salisbury |
Succeeded by | The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos |
Personal details | |
Born |
11 May 1815 London |
Died | 31 March 1891 London |
(aged 75)
Nationality | British |
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse(s) | (1) Mary Louise von Dalberg (1813–1860) (2) Castila Rosalind Campbell (d. 1938) |
Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
For the 20th and 21st century Lord Justice, see Brian Leveson.
Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville KG PC FRS (11 May 1815 – 31 March 1891), styled Lord Leveson until 1846, was a British Liberal statesman from the Leveson-Gower family.
In a political career spanning over 50 years, he was thrice Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, led the Liberal Party in the House of Lords for almost 30 years and was joint Leader of the Liberal Party between 1875 and 1880. He is best known for his pacific stewardship of Britain's external relations, 1870–74 and 1880–85, in co-operation with his best friend, Prime Minister Gladstone. His foreign policy was based on patience, peace, and no alliances; it kept Britain free from European wars and improved relations with the United States after the strain during the American Civil War.
Leveson-Gower was born in London, the eldest son of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville, by Lady Harriet Cavendish, daughter of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire. His father was a younger son of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford, by his third wife; an elder son by the second wife (a daughter of the 1st Duke of Bridgwater) became the 2nd Marquess of Stafford, and his marriage with the daughter and heiress of the 18th Earl of Sutherland (Countess of Sutherland in her own right) led to the merging of the Gower and Stafford titles in that of the Dukes of Sutherland (created 1833), who represent the elder branch of the family. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford.